Dec. 12, 2002

Chicago, Ill. - University of Illinois at Chicago student-athletes Gina Caneva (Lockport, Ill./Lockport), Bruno Rasich (Lincolnwood, Ill./Niles West) and Danny Smith (Chicago, Ill./St. Patrick) were named to the Horizon League Fall Academic All-League Team, announced on Thursday morning.

Caneva, a senior education major with an emphasis on English, was named to the Verizon Academic All-District V Volleyball Second Team earlier this season. Caneva finished her volleyball career with a hitting percentage of .258, which was good for fifth in UIC history.

Rasich, a senior biology major, started all 20 games for the Flames' soccer team this season and finished the campaign with four goals and five assists, on his way to All-Horizon League Second Team honors. Rasich was an All-Horizon League First Team selection as a junior.

Smith, a senior education major with an emphasis on English, was named the men's cross-country team MVP following a 12th-place finish at the Horizon League Championships to earn All-League Second Team Honors

Butler led all Horizon League members with nine selections, followed by UW-Green Bay (7), Loyola (6), Detroit (5), UW-Milwaukee (5), Cleveland State (4), UIC (3), Youngstown State (2) and Wright State (1).

The Horizon League Sports Information Directors and Faculty Athletic Representatives select the Fall Academic All-League Teams. Nominees must meet the following criteria: 1) a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 or better on a 4.00 scale; 2) have completed at least three semesters at the same institution; and 3) be a starter or significant contributor in a league-sponsored sport. The team is comprised of the same number of First Team All-Horizon League student-athletes in each sport. Ties are not broken.